Zerona Vs. Velashape

Last week an interested patient submitted a question.

The question was this, “Zerona or Velashape, which is better?”

First of all, I have a bias opinion. Right? After all… the name of THIS website is www.SoCalZeronaLaser.com.

Well, rather than give you my biased opinion, let me simply present a comparison.

But before I do, I wish I knew how the person submitting the question defines “better”.

For those of you who don’t know what either are, this will be a simple overview of each.

First Zerona…

The Zerona Laser is a low level energy laser that produces no heat to the tissues. In fact, patient cant even feel the laser on them. The Zerona laser has been shown to produce a reduction of the circumference of the waist, hips, thighs of on average (with the laser alone) of 3.5 inches after 2 weeks. Oh, and that’s without the patient changing their eating or exercise habits. It is FDA cleared. It’s the non-surgical option to SmartLipo or Lipo-suction. There are no side effects.

Second Velashape…

From the company website: VelaShape is a non-invasive medical device based on elōs™ technology – a combination of heat, light, suction and massage – and is specifically designed to improve skin texture, reduce the appearance of cellulite and target localized fat deposits. It’s FDA approved.

Velashape did a study on women post-baby… the results are these: after 5 weekly treatments, the average circumferences (combined for waist, hips, thighs) was a reduction of 5.93 cm (that’s 2.38 inches).

The comparison…

Again, without knowing what the person submitting the question meant by “better” let me give some scenarios.

If you want results, Zerona is over twice as affective. In my office, 6.5 inches is average lose.

If you want speed, Zerona is done in 2 weeks, half of the time as Velashape.

If you want comfort, Zerona is painless and completely comfortable – you can’t even feel it. Velashape is a device that will suck and massage your tissue as the technician rolls it over the target area. Having not experienced it, I can only imagine that its like when you apply a vacuum cleaner to your skin, it kind of latches on. The machine looks like a vacuum cleaner. You can see it for yourself on the company website.

If you want fast, effective, and comfortable results, then Zerona is the way to go… but then again… I have a biased opinion.

If you compare cost, the prices are comparable based on a survey found on RealSelf.com. Velashape had an average cost of $3,692. Zerona in my office starts at $3,300.

I’d love to hear from people who have had Velashape. Looking at survey of 15 reviews – 20% said they’d do it again… leaving the rest saying never again. Many complaints was that it was very uncomfortable and most important not effective.

Thank you to the person who submitted the question…. I expect this was helpful for you.

Blessings,
Dr. Don

Thank you, and I encourage you to leave comments or questions below. And Please fill out the form on the right to receive our monthly e-Newsletter and Weekly Health Report.
Article by Dr. Troy Don, DC QME ,Your Zerona Laser Professional in Southern California

MY Zerona Program… What is it?

People often ask me what is my Zerona program. How is it different from other Zerona doctors.

First of all… currently there are very few of us out there. And I imagine, all of us get great results.

After all, the Zerona laser is the key ingredient. I think more doctors use the laser and that’s it – getting the average results 3.5 inches (which is still good!).

My Zerona laser program is a whole assessment of your situation. I take into consideration all of your circumstances – your activity level, your current diet, your health history, your risk factors for less than excellent success, and your goals.

My Zerona program is getting 6.5 inches of reduction on average. That’s like 2 times the average of the Zerona laser alone.

I don’t accept everyone… And everyone doesn’t just get the same procedure/program.

I look at you as a person and help you reach your goals.

I also use personalized nutrition recommendations in my Zerona Laser programs.

My Zerona laser program gets advanced results – and I stand by those results. While I cannot guarantee results, I do guarantee satisfaction. To learn more about that you’d have to come in for a consultation.

If a doctor feels strongly about their product or service then the should be willing to reduce your fear and suspicion. Stand by their work. I do. It is my reputation after all.

That’s why my patients refer their friends and family. That’s why my patients share their story with others.

I’m sure your doctor is the same way.

Without going into details… that’s my Zerona program.

Blessings,
Dr. Don

Thank you, and I encourage you to leave comments or questions below. And Please fill out the form on the right to receive our monthly e-Newsletter and Weekly Health Report.
Article by Dr. Troy Don, DC QME ,Your Zerona Laser Professional in Southern California

The Zerona Laser On The Doctors TV Show Irritates Dr. Don… Sort Of

Ok, so on my birthday The Doctor TV show features the Zerona Laser… that was a week ago… and I’m still dealing with the affects of the show…

It was a great segment and showed how effective the Zerona Laser really is. The patient’s story was nothing new… she had kids and couldn’t lose the weight in her mid section.

Why don’t you just watch it here…

Now I have to say that the Zerona Laser being featured is a great thing for…

… helping the world to know more about it

… It’s giving patients a safe and fast and effective alternative to surgical options

… It’s giving patients a boost and kick-start to getting in shape and starting a healthy life style!

These are all great things!

Unfortunately…

When the showed aired people started to do their own research, that lead them to my website, www.SoCalZeronaLaser.com and then rather than read the content on the website, interested patients and doctors from across the nation flooded my office with calls and emails asking questions that were already on the website.

We are busy enough that we don’t need to be a call center for information. So you could imagine my irritation when it’s affecting my staffs’ normal duties. So let me say here publicly – “My staff is the best! Thank you for helping all of the interested patients and doctor get the right information and direction.”

I… we… still have not gotten back to everyone who asked for my personal attention.

Its understandable that we got some many calls seeing as this is the only website of its kind.

I think I’ll ask some other doctors to contribute to this site. Readers, what do you think?

I have a feeling The Doctors TV Show is just the beginning…

Blessings,

Dr. Don

Thank you, and I encourage you to leave comments or questions below. And Please fill out the form on the right to receive our monthly e-Newsletter and Weekly Health Report.

Article by Dr. Troy Don, DC QME, Your Zerona Laser Professional in Southern California

The 3 Things Exercise will Do for Zerona Laser Results!

Here’s the deal… just like you… I want to simply lay under the laser and get the best results possible. Well, I’m here to tell you… you’ll get results…. BUT if you want the best results possible from the Zerona Laser, then you had better add this to the equation.

Exercise!

Though this program will work without changing your exercise program, exercise certainly helps you to achieve your goals faster.

We all know exercise is important for overall health and wellness.  It is also important for maintaining long lasting results with any weight loss or body contouring program.

There are 3 things that exercise will help your body do.  Let’s briefly discuss each…

#1 – The Obvious, exercise burns more calories.

Exercise Increases calorie usage. Obviously when you exercise you are burning more calories than if you are NOT exercising.

You know the basic equation for losing or gaining weight.

If you eat more calories than you burn you gain weight.

If you eat less calories than you burn you lose weight.

If you eat the same amount of calories as you burn you will stay the same.

So more exercise, more calories burn, and better results.

#2 – Exercise Stimulates the Lymphatic System

Exercise Stimulates the lymphatic system.  Exercise gets your blood and lymphatic system pumping. Remember the lymphatic system?  This system collects the fat that is floating out of the cell. And then transports it to the digestive system.  Even simple walking is effective to achieve this. Also, gentle bouncing on a trampoline.  It’s the oscillation of the blood, the contracting of the muscles, the moving of the limbs that helps get the lymphatics moving.

#3 – Exercise Stimulates the Digestive System

Exercise also stimulates the digestive system. When you are breathing deeply… in and out, you’re using your diaphragm. The diaphragm goes down and puts pressure on your bowel and that gets things moving better.  Cardio vascular exercise gets you breathing heavily and deeply.  If you can’t do high intensity cardiovascular, there are other exercises that involve proper breathing.  Tai chi and yoga are exercises that are great for this.  Plus the twisting and turning from exercise helps the digestive system as well.

Exercise need not be strenuous.  In fact, if you can’t exercise due to medical or physical limitation, there are some stretches that can help achieve these goals too.  There is technology out there that achieves the same goal for patients who have some physical disability or challenge, with the guidance and supervision of a trained doctor.  I use it in my office, and patients love it.

So there is no reason, why you can’t exercise to help this process.

If you’ll walk for 30 minutes every day, you’ll get great results.

This program could be THE thing to jump start your life style to a fitter you. It has for so many of my patients.

Blessings,
Dr. Don

Thank you, and I encourage you to leave comments or questions below. And Please fill out the form on the right to receive our monthly e-Newsletter and Weekly Health Report.

Article by Dr. Troy Don, DC QME, Your Zerona Laser Professional in Southern California

What Most Doctors And Patients Don’t Want To Talk About During The Zerona Laser Treatment

Here’s a topic that MOST people fail to give adequate attention while they are pursing the loss of inches of fat with the Zerona Laser.

I think the reason why too little attention is give to this topic is because of the societies low standard related to this topic.

What is this key factor?

Healthy Digestion and Elimination!

I heard a JOKE from another doctor… well it was more like an experience he had with a patient.  He was telling me about a geriatric patient he was managing and the patient said, “Doc, if I wake up in the morning and if I have one bowel movement that day… THAT was a GOOD DAY.” (Thank you Dr. Alan Rousso)

Yes, it is good to wake up to live another day! BUT to have only one (if that is some cases) bowel movement a day!… that’s not so good.  In fact, that’s constipated!

Remember, the Zerona Laser emulsifies the fat in the cell. Then it makes the fat cell porous temporarily for the emulsified fat seeps out of the fat cell, where it will then hang out.  Its you lymphatic system that will pick it up then transport it to you digestive system, where it is eliminated from the body with your bowel movements.

So if you are the type of person who is “lucky” to have one bowel movement a day, then we need to get your system ready for the Zerona to do its job.  Because, if you are having bowel movement problems… that can slow your progress and results from the Zerona Laser.

Ideally, you should have a bowel movement after every meal.  So that means 3 bowel movements a day.  If you are eating the right foods, this is not a problem.

At the very least you should have one bowel movement a day.  If you have only one OR LESS, then we need to help your digestive systems work more smoothly.

So how do we do that?

There are many natural and healthy ways to go about doing this.  All of which I suggest the supervision and support of a trained health care provider.

It could be as simple as eating (notice I didn’t say drinking) more fiber. You can get that from you dark green leafy vegetables or even nutrition bars (ie FiberOne bars).  I prefer eating lots of vegetables with every meal.  Do that and you shouldn’t have a problem.

If you are in need of a major bowel “overhaul”. A cleansing may be required.

There are many cleaning programs out there… some safe, many not.
There are apple fasts, raw-fruits and vegetables fasts, special shakes or special supplements, pills, and the list goes on.

It is very important to have a healthy digestive system for best results on the Zerona Laser program.

Blessings,
Dr. Don

Thank you, and I encourage you to leave comments or questions below. And Please fill out the form on the right to receive our monthly e-Newsletter and Weekly Health Report.

Article by Dr. Troy Don, DC QME, Your Zerona Laser Professional in Southern California

Zerona Laser Patient Shares Her Experience

Have you ever been so excited about something and just wanted to tell the whole world?  Perhaps it was a book you read, a movie you saw, a guy/gal you meet, etc.

That’s exactly want Denise Hollingsworth felt!

Let me tell you what happened. Here’s the background…

So here I am busy with patients and my staff tells me that someone wants to share something with me.

You see, Denise has been a patient of mine for about a year now.  Since working with her, she has lost 40-some pounds by increasing her exercise and eating a balanced diet.  She was happy to lose that weight, but she had told me that she was frustrated with herself because her problems areas were not going down.

Her problem area was her stomach.

She lost a great amount of weight over the last 4-5 months, but still her stomach was just “not in proportion to the rest” of her body.

So then she started my Zerona Laser program and didn’t change anything she was doing. Then after 2 weeks she was so excited that she lost 6 ½ inches. That’s 4 ½ inches from her waist and 4 inches from her hips.

Then just a while ago… Here she is in the office in showing off this black dress that turns out to be something she was not able to fit into properly before the Zerona Laser treatment.

She wanted to share with you here story so that you too could take the next step and fit into that outfit that you’ve been wanting to get into.

Attached is a video about her experience… she wanted to tell you her self.

I expect that you too will do fantastic with your Zerona Laser treatment.

Feel free to send a comment or question that everyone can benefit from.

Blessings,
Dr. Don

What You Should Do Before You Start Zerona Laser Treatment (part 2)

This is a continuation on the previous blog entry.  Last time I spoke about staying well hydrated.  The topic blog is equally important to starting before your first laser treatment.

Remember those 3 calls I received from doctors asking about how to ensure the best results.  Well, the good news was they were all doing PART of what I suggest in this blog.

Again, there are a number of things you should do before you start Zerona Laser treatment if you want the best results.  Today, I’ll discuss the second of those things…

Supplementation!

I’ve attached a video I made for my patients on the topic of supplementation, and yes… I was very busy and tired when making it …

What’s that?  It is supplementing our diet with vitamins and mineral to allow the body to have the right chemicals to optimize chemical processes of the body.  In other words, if your body does not have the right building blocks, then it will not work as well as it could if it did.

I am NOT going to be discussing supplementation for ideal health.  Here I will be discussing supplementation for getting the best results with the Zerona laser.

Side note: Unfortunately the medical profession as a whole has very little schooling on this topic.  And most do not that the post-graduate education or training required to have a strong grasp of these topics.  So if your doctor is unfamiliar with specific recommendations for your individual case, then you may have to seek out that help yourself; it’s not a typical referral.

Because supplementation is a case by case situation, I will limit today’s topic to Niacin. As my patient, I will give you specific recommendations; however, one supplement that you will all be one is Niacin.

All of you will be on niacin.  For my program I ask that you take 100mg a day. That’s 500% the US daily value.

What is Niacin?

Niacin is a water-soluble vitamin whose derivatives such as NADH play essential roles in energy metabolism in the living cell and DNA repair.

During metabolic reactions such as fatty acid oxidation and glycolysis, NAD+ serves as an oxidizing agent, oxidizing certain compounds can lead to the breakdown fats and carbohydrates, which ultimately can lead to the production of ATP (energy).  So niacin helps to oxidize the fat and makes it easier to get it out of the body versus getting re-absorbed by the cell.

Niacin is also a vasodilator.

Vasodilation is the dilation and expansion of blood vessels (veins, arteries).  With the relaxation and dilation of nearby blood vessels, it is possible for the fatty acids and triglycerides sitting in the extra-cellular space to be absorbed into the blood stream rather than reabsorbed by the fat cell.

This is why taking niacin right after your Zerona laser treatment could be the best time to take it.

There are a couple of things you need to know about taking niacin.

Some people get a niacin flush.  Because it is a vasodialator – meaning your blood vessels expand, the 98.6 degree internal heat that we maintain suddenly comes to the surface of the skin.  This will cause you to feel very hot, or flush, your skin may turn red like a flush or sun burn… some people will feel itchy and want to scratch.  Don’t scratch.  It is best to just let it pass.  It should be over in about 30 minutes or less.

A cool shower can help remedy the discomfort of the flush.

If you want to minimize the chance of the flush, simply take the niacin with food, or at least a glass of milk or a banana.

Nutrition stores have a product that does not have the flush side-effect.  Ask for a Flush Free Niacin.  I do not recommend this though.  It is healthy for your skin to have the flush on occasion.  Besides… the flush often only occurs the first few time you take it.  And for the majority of people, the flush isn’t that bad in the first place. If you are worried about it, take it with your largest meal of the day.

If you have questions on your specific supplementation, post it with a comment here or email me at DrDon@TheZeronaLaser.com.

Blessings,
Dr. Don

Thank you, and I encourage you to leave comments or questions below. And Please fill out the form on the right to receive our monthly e-Newsletter and Weekly Health Report.

Article by Dr. Troy Don, DC QME, Your Zerona Laser Professional in Southern California

Before You Start Zerona Laser Treatment

Hydration!

Today I had 3 calls from doctors about how to be sure to get better results with the Zerona Laser with their patients. 2 of the 3 doctors were failing on this one thing!

It’s so easy to do… and it is so critical!

Here is what I suggest… One week prior to your first Zerona Laser session you want to start getting well-hydrated. Get very well hydrated! In other words, start drinking plenty of water. I’ll explain how much in just a moment. But for now it is important that you understand the WHY.

Hydration provides 2 important functions as it pertains to the Zerona Laser:

Lymphatic stimulation. Hydration is important for elimination of the emulsified fat that has been leaked from the fat cell. Staying well hydrated also simulates your lymphatic system again pumping out the secreted fat. If you don’t intake adequate fluids, the emulsified fat will be like sludge and just sit there with the chance of reentering the cell.

Digestion/Elimination aid. Staying well hydrated also helps your digestive system to work more smoothly; specifically bowel movements. Your lymphatic system carries the emulsified fat to your digestive system. If you don’t intake adequate fluids, then your constipation can result. If you are constipated, then your body will become backed up and with it the flow of the emulsified fat.

Now that you understand the WHY… lets talk about the HOW.

How much water should you consume?

You should be drinking at least 64 ounces a day. A good rule of thumb is half of your body weight in oz. For example: a 200-pound person should be drinking 100 oz of water per day.

Just remember: if during your consultation you were told to drink a different amount based on your medication or health conditions, follow those recommendations.

If you are a coffee drinker or consumer of caffeine (tea, soda, energy drinks, etc)

If you are a coffee lover or soda lover, be advised. Caffeine is a diuretic. In other words, it will cause your body to eliminate the water from your body. During my program, you need to be well hydrated. Caffeine competes with that goal! So why do it? I know some of you are addicted to caffeine. My staff is guilty of this too. Just realize that IF you drink ONE cup of coffee… fine… you must drink TWO cups of water (in addition to your normal amount) to replenish what you lost from the coffee.
If you can avoid the coffee for a couple of weeks… do so. Besides, most of the drink your consuming have added calories anyway. Help yourself out and cut some extra calories by cutting out the drinks.

Water is the best way to go. If you don’t like water. Add a little twist of lemon or lime to each glass. Learn to like water. It has such huge health benefits.

Blessings,

Dr. Don

Thank you, and I encourage you to leave comments or questions below. And Please fill out the form on the right to receive our monthly e-Newsletter and Weekly Health Report.

Article written by, Dr. Troy Don, DC QME,  Your Zerona Laser Professional in Southern California

Who Can Receive The Zerona Laser Treatment?

People who want to lose inches in a target area fast.  So we treat people who typically have a special event that they want to fit into a certain dress size.  Brides (brides maids) are very popular. Swim suit season is popular. But the biggest are those that are looking to jumpstart their getting in shape.  Personal trainers tend to send people my way because they know that if their clients are happy then they will continue to use their services.

The list of people who can use these services is longer than the list of those who CANNOT.  So it might be easier to list those people that we will not treat.

Before I give you the list of people who CANNOT receive treatment in my office let me first say this.  Just because you want to lose weight does not mean that I will accept your case and treat you.  During my consultation and examination, I will determine if you are a good candidate for my program, the Zerona Laser, and if weight loss will improve your health.  If you’re a candidate and if I accept you for the program, I will determine a treatment and nutritional protocol that will help you achieve your goals and is best for your body.

With that said, here are the people that I will not treat.

Pregnant or lactating women.  Even though there is not know side effect for the developing fetus or the lactating mother, we will not risk it.  Fat for the lactating mother is important for her health; for us to affect that is not in the best interest of her health or that of her children.  Once she is done lactating, then we’d be happy to determine a program for her.

Patients with unrealistic goals.  Often I sit with a person who is looking for my office to do all of the work.  In other words if I tell them they need to participate to get the benefits of the Zerona Laser, and if I feel any unreasonable resistance, I will not accept them.  Also, if a person is expecting an unreasonable number of inches of reduction, and if they’re not coming back to reality, I will not accept them.  Its one thing to hope for “unbelievable” results… you know what I mean.  Some people you just can’t make happy no matter what you deliver.  This category also includes patients who have a significant eating disorder that makes them think that they have excess fat, when they do not.  So if they lost weight, it would actually be unhealthy for them.

Bottom-line: the Zerona Laser and my program works so well we don’t want to treat the wrong people.  If you have realistic goals, are a reasonable person, and want to get healthier, chances are we can treat you.

Blessings,

Dr. Troy Don, DC QME

How Much Can I Expect to Lose on the Zerona Laser?

I wish I could answer that for you with a straight forward answer – but I can not.  Let me explain with a long answer…

As you know, everybody is different – Their life styles, activities of daily living, food choices, resting metabolic rates, exercise routines, body compositions, health consciousness, health history and genetics.  So obviously, the answer to the question is “it depends”.

Let me explain what the Zerona Laser alone has proven to produce for 15 people in a double-blind, randomized, placebo-control clinical trial.  At the beginning of the study the patients’ waist/hips/thighs were measured.  They were given instructions to not change anything to their diet or exercise or daily routine for 2 weeks.  Then over those two weeks the patients were lasered for 6 sessions.  Each session was 40 minutes under the laser – 20 minutes they would lay on their back, then turn over for another 20 minutes.  This was done Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, for 2 weeks. Then after the two weeks, the patients were remeasured.  The Zerona laser produced a 3.64 inch reduction on the combined areas of waist/hips/thighs, up to a 9.5 inch total reduction.

Though I don’t have the details and life style information for each of the 15 test subjects, I will say that 3 inches is significantly different than the 9 inches.  I’d want the 9 inches!  So I’d want to know what factor made the difference.  Without that information, I can’t.   After all, it’s a randomized study.

If you have an active life style, you’re on the go doing the different things your life requires of you (taking care of 3 kids), you eat good quality food, you have a good metabolism, you exercise 3-4 times a week, and you have no significant health history with decent genetics – you’ll do fantastic. The opposite holds true too.

What are some significant health history issues that may hinder your results?  Here are the top 3: uncontrolled hypothyroid condition, uncontrolled blood sugar issues, and physical condition that prevents you from walking.

If you have any of these challenges does that mean you won’t get results?  No, not necessarily. It depends on the severity.  These are things that we would discuss when we meet.  If you need to be referred to a different doctor prior to starting my program, I’ll let you know.  I’ve seen patients with hypothyroid, blood sugar, and physical conditions do incredibly well on the Zerona Laser and my program.  I do everything in my power to help you love your results.

Though the average is 3 and a half inches of reduction in circumference… most people would love to have that change in less than 3 weeks!  Wouldn’t you?

Blessings,

Dr. Troy Don, DC QME